Between The Lines

Lingering Thoughts

The next morning, I woke up to a hazy light streaming through the curtains, but my mind wasn't on the weather or the half-finished manuscript still sitting on my desk. It was on Alex.

I grabbed my phone and scrolled through our recent texts, a habit I didn't realize I'd developed. Our conversations always had this effortless back-and-forth, filled with Alex's playful sarcasm and random, insightful comments about life. I found myself smiling before I could stop. This was becoming a pattern: the texts, the meetups, the way I looked forward to hearing from him without even realizing it.

But last night had felt... different. The ease was still there, sure, but something had shifted in how I saw him. Maybe it was the way he said he liked hanging out with me, or the look in his eyes when we parted ways. Either way, I couldn't deny that this connection between us was growing.

With a sigh, I pulled myself out of bed and started my usual routine. Coffee, shower, and then trying to force myself to write. The blinking cursor on the screen taunted me, but for once, my frustration wasn't the main thing occupying my thoughts. I kept replaying the night with Alex, analyzing every detail, every glance. I didn't want to admit it out loud, but maybe, just maybe, I was starting to catch feelings for him.

Before I could get too wrapped up in my own head, my phone buzzed.

Alex: Morning. Survived your writing session yet?

I chuckled, already feeling lighter. It was like he knew exactly when to check in.

Me: Barely. But somehow, I'm still standing.

Alex: Impressive. Must be that coffee addiction of yours keeping you alive.

Me: Guilty as charged.

Alex: What's your plan for today? Want to grab lunch? I've got a free hour between meetings.

I hesitated for a moment. My initial instinct was to decline, to say I needed to focus on work, but the truth was, I wasn't getting anywhere with the writing. A break-especially one with Alex-was exactly what I needed.

Me: Yeah, lunch sounds good. Same place as usual?

Alex: You know it. See you at 1.

I glanced at the clock. It gave me a couple of hours to pretend to be productive before I'd meet him. And maybe, just maybe, a few hours would be enough to help me sort through the thoughts swirling in my head.

By the time 1 o'clock rolled around, I found myself standing outside our usual café, the one tucked away on a quiet street corner. It was a small, cozy place, the kind with mismatched furniture and a menu that never seemed to change but always delivered. It was also where Alex and I had started meeting more frequently, our unofficial spot.

He showed up a few minutes later, flashing me that familiar grin that always seemed to settle any nerves I had.

"Hey, stranger," he said as he approached, slipping his hands into his jacket pockets. "How's the morning treating you?"

I shrugged. "About as well as you'd expect. The writing's still a mess, but that's not new."

"You're too hard on yourself, you know that?" he said, holding the door open for me as we stepped inside. "Everyone has off days. You'll get there."

I wanted to argue, but his optimism was contagious. We found our usual table near the window, and the waitress came by with a knowing smile, already familiar with our regular orders. It was funny how quickly Alex and I had fallen into these patterns, these small routines that felt comfortable in a way I hadn't expected.

"So," Alex said, leaning back in his chair once our food arrived, "I've been thinking."

"Uh-oh," I teased, taking a bite of my sandwich. "That sounds dangerous."

He smirked, but his tone was serious. "No, I mean about you. And your writing. You said you've been stuck, right?"

I nodded, unsure where he was going with this.

"What if you stopped putting so much pressure on yourself to make it perfect? Like, just write something for fun. No deadlines, no expectations. Just to remind yourself why you started in the first place."

I blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of his suggestion. "You make it sound easy."

"I'm not saying it's easy," he said, his eyes meeting mine with a certain intensity. "But maybe you're overthinking it. You're so focused on getting it right that you're forgetting to enjoy it."

His words hit me harder than I expected. He had a point. I'd been so consumed with making progress, meeting word counts, and crafting the perfect story that I'd lost sight of why I'd started writing in the first place.

"I guess I've just... been stuck in my head," I admitted, pushing my plate aside. "It's like I can't turn off the part of me that's always judging every sentence."

Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "Then maybe it's time to shut that part off for a while. You don't have to write something groundbreaking. Just write something that makes you happy."

His gaze was steady, and for a moment, I felt like he could see right through me, like he understood my struggle better than I did. I looked down at my hands, suddenly unsure of what to say.

"I'll think about it," I finally mumbled, feeling strangely vulnerable.

Alex smiled softly, and the moment of intensity between us faded into something warmer, easier. "Good. That's all I'm asking."

We finished our lunch in comfortable silence, the kind that didn't need to be filled with words. It was nice, this quiet understanding between us, like we didn't always need to be talking to feel connected.

As we walked out of the café, Alex glanced at his watch. "I've got to get back to the office, but I'm glad we did this."

"Me too," I said, and I meant it. Being around him always had a way of putting things into perspective.

Before we parted ways, Alex gave me one last look, his expression unreadable. "Don't overthink it, Ethan. Just write."

I watched him walk away, his words echoing in my mind. He made it sound so simple, but maybe it didn't have to be complicated. Maybe I just needed to let go.

As I headed home, I found myself replaying the conversation over and over again, not just about the writing but about Alex himself. The way he seemed to get me, to understand what I needed even when I didn't. It was starting to become clear that what was growing between us wasn't just friendship.

And that realization? It scared me more than I wanted to admit.

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Sorry for the late chapter publishings, as I said, really busy

Buttt, new chapter out tomorrow!!